Cafeteria cart



Patented Dec. 24, 1946 CAFETERIA CART James R. Boldt and David H. Boldt,Seattle, Wash.

Application November 23, 1942, Serial No. 466,700

This invention relates to cafeteria carts and an object of thisinvention is to improve carts of this type and render the same moreefficient and more satisfactory in use.

Cafeteria carts of this type are used in the serving of food where thefood must be brought to the customers and provision made for servinglarge numbers of customers in the shortest possible time.

One use for thes cafeteria carts is in the serving of food in largeindustrial establishments where large numbers of persons are employedand where the food must be served out of doors or in the shops or yardswhere the people who are being served are employed.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cafeteria cartconstructed so that food may be dispensed from both sides of the cart totwo lines of customers moving past the cart thus making it possible todispense the food faster than it can be dispensed to a single line ofcustomers. This also provides for shorter lines of customers, a thingwhich has proven to be more satisfactory and pleasing to the customersthat are..being served.

Another object is to provide a cafeteria cart in which ample provisionis made for keeping the foods in the very best possible condition forserving, especially as respects the cleanliness of the foods and thetemperature of hot foods.

Another object is to provide a cafeteriacart which reduces the labor ofserving the foods to a minimum and which makes it possible for twoattendants at the cart to serve two lines of customers.

Another object is to provide a cafeteria cart of this nature inwhichprovision is made for supplying at the cart, to the customers whowish hot drinks, the necessary cups for such hot drinks and then lettingthese customers fill their own cups with the hot drink after they havpaid for their food and as they are leaving the cart.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cafeteria cart in whichall of the food is kept in a sanitary condition and in which suitablecover means and drop curtain means are provided for affording allpossible protection to the food on the cart.

Another object is to provide a cafeteria. cart having an efiicientelectric warming oven which may be heated up at a location whereelectric current is available and which will retain and give offsuflicient heat to keep the food warm for a long period of time after itis disconnected from the source of supply of electric current.

2 Claims. (Cl. 29622) Another object is to provide, in connection withthe upper portion of the warming oven, eihcient means for keeping pansof food hot while said food is being dished out to customers, and tofurther provide covers for the pans, which covers are slidable insuitable guide means on the cart and are adapted to serve as supportsfor stacks of serving trays when the said covers are withdrawn so as touncover thefood pans. 7

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a sideelevation of cafeteria cart constructedin accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of thesame looking in the direction of broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is aplan view, with parts in -section, taken substantially on broken line3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing a table with coffee urns thereon positioned inthe location relative to this cart in which said table is .used whenfood is being served from the cart; Fig. 4 is an end elevation lookingin the direction of broken line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectionalview taken on broken line 55 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a sectional viewtaken on brok n line 66 of Fig. 1, and showing in broken lines twostacks of food serving trays supported on a warming oven.

Referring to the drawing, is designates a base frame, H a main tableframe and 12 a traysupporting frame for trays of food.

Preferably the frames H], H and 1.2 are all of rectangular shape and aresupported in spaced apart parallel relation, one above another, byupright side bars [3. The side bars i 3 are set inwardly a substantialdistance from the respective ends of the frames [0 and l I so that theframes Iii and H project beyond the side bars l3. Preferably the framel2 does not project beyond the side bars !3.

A top or cover member [A is preferably provided above the upper framel2. It is preferred to make this top or cover member readily removablefrom the cart so that'said top or cover may be used or left off at willdepending on the conditions under which the cart is being used. This mayb done by providing 0n the top member l4, four downwardly extendingsupports [5 having their lower end portions telescopically connected bymeans [6 with the upper end portions of the upright side bars l3.

Preferably any desired number of drop curtains ii are secured to theedge portions of the top member l4 and maybe lowered alongside :of thecart-or folded or rolled :and supported in an 3 out of the way positionon the top member I4. Obviously one or more of the curtains I! may belowered, as desired.

One preferred way of making the rectangular frames I0, II and I2 is toform them of metal tubing or pipe welded at the corners. The uprightmembers |3 preferably are welded to the frame members In, H and I2 andsupport said frame members in spaced apart parallel relation. The framesI and II extend to the right and to the left beyond the upright framemembers l3, as shown. The frame l2 preferably terminates flush with theupright frame members l3 to avoid obstructing the space on the framemember II at the end portions of the cart.

The cart is preferably mounted for movement on a pair of larger wheelsl8, positioned medially of the length of the cart and at the sides ofthe frames H], and on two pairs of smaller wheels I9 positioned adjacentopposite ends of the cart and below the lower frame it]. Preferably thesmaller wheels I9 have caster mountings to facilitate easy steering ofthe device. Also preferably the larger medial wheels l3 project slightlybelow a plane tangent to the bottoms of the smaller wheels I9 so thatthe medial wheels will carry the major portion of the load and steeringof the cart will be made easier.

Each frame H], H and I2 carries a deck or platform, preferably of sheetmetal, which may be welded to its respective frame. These platforms areshown in Fig. 2 and are numbered 20, 2| and 22.

An intermediate frame '23, having a decking or platform 24, is providedbetween the base frame l0 and the table frame II. The side portions ofthe decking 24 extend sidewise beyond the line of the upright framemembers I3 and are in clined downwardly as shown in Figs. 2 and and formsupports for supporting boxes or cases 25 in an inclined position torender them readily accessible. The cases 25 are adapted to containbottled or packaged goods. For instance one case 25 on each side of thecart may contain bottles of milk, another case may contain bottles ofsoft drink and the third case may contain packages of ice cream. Dry Icemay be used to keep the frozen foods from melting or becomin too soft.The edges 26 of the inclined portions of the decking 24 are bentupwardly to prevent di placement of the cases 25.

A storage space 28 is provided above the bottom decking 20 and below theintermediate decking 24 and another storage space 29 is provided abovethe intermediate decking 24 and below the table decking 2|. The storagespace 28 is accessible from the sides of the cart and the storage space29 is accessible either from the end of the cart shown at the right inFig. 1, or from either side of the cart .by removal of one or more ofthe cases 25.

Preferably one or more drawers 53, that pull out from the sides of thecart, are provided between the bottom deck 20 and the intermediate deck24.

Two sets of trays 30 and 3| are preferably provided on the upper deck'22for the reception of candy bars and like articles of food. The two setsof trays 30 and 3| are inclined, as shown, toward opposite sides of thecart to better display the food articles thereon. The arrangement of thetrays 30 and 3| leaves a space 32, open at the ends, between the deck 22and the bottoms of said trys 30 and 3| 'in which small 4 articles, suchas knives and forks and may be stored.

The portion of the table deck 2| between the upright frame members I3 ispreferably used for supporting sandwich trays 33 and cut pie stands ortrays 34. If desired, several of the sandwich trays 33 or pie trays 34may be loaded with food and stacked one on top of another. Two pie trays34 are shown as positioned one on the other in the drawings. When theupper tray is emptied it is removed to make the food in the lower trayaccessible.

The food trays 30, 3|, 33 and 34 and the cases are all readilyaccessible from both sides of the cart. The cases 25 protrude sidewisefar enough and are inclined enough so that good visibility into thesecases is insured.

Preferably the end portion of the base frame l0 and deck 20 that projectto the right of the upright frame members I3, as respects the showing inFig. 1, have shallow upright side members 35 secured thereto and thisdeck portion is adapted to have either one or two coffee urns 36 placedthereon when the cart is being moved from one location to another. Onecoffee urn 36 is shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 and two of saidurns are shown in plan in Fig. 3.

When the cart is stationary and food is being served therefrom thecoffee urns 38 are removed from the cart and placed on a table 37 thatis positioned a short distance from the right hand end of the cart, asshown in Fig. 3.

The portion 38 of the table frame II and deck 2| that extends to theright of the upright frame members l3, as respects the showing in Fig.1, is adapted to be used as a combined cashier's shelf and table forcoffee cups and like articles. Preferably one or more pull out shelves39 are provided in connection with this cashiers shelf 38.

Preferably the cashier stands between the shelf 38 and the table 31 onwhich the coffee urns 36 are placed to receive the money from thecusspoons,

tomers and to dispense coffee cups, cream and sugar to those who wishcoffee. Preferably the customers draw their own coffee from the urns 36after paying for their food and coffee cups and as they are leaving thecart.

An electric warming oven, designated generally by 40, is providedbetween the base frame It) and the table frame I I at the left hand endof the cart as respects the showing in Fig. 1. The top of this electricoven forms a heated shelf from which hot food may be served, ashereinafter explained.

The electric warming oven 40 comprises an oven receptacle 4|, Fig. 6,having relatively thick bottom and side walls each preferably formed ofan outer layer 42 of heatinsulating material and an inner layer 43 ofmaterial which will absorb a large amount of heat and give such heat ofislowly to the oven receptacle. Electric heating elements 44 are providedfor warming the oven receptacle 4| and walls 43. A door 45, Fig. 4, isprovided for the oven 4| and this door is preferably lined with heatinsulating and heat storage material similar to the walls 4243 shown inFig. 6.

The table top above the oven 4| is provided with one or more receptacles46, as shown in Fig. 6, for the reception of one or more pans thatcontain food to be served. The receptacles 46 may be of any desirednumber and shape, depending on the number and shape of the pans to beused in serving. We have shown two of these receptacles 46 each of whichmay contain a pan of hot food, such as beef stew in one and mashedpotatoes in the other.

Preferably there is very little or no insulation between the bottomwalls of the receptacles 4t and the oven receptacle M So that food inpans or containers in the receptacles 48 will be kept warm by heat fromthe oven receptacle M.

The oven receptacle d! and lining d3 therefor are thoroughly heated byenergizing the heating elements 44 for a substantial period of timebefore the cart is taken to the location where the food is to be served.It has been found that, after being thus thoroughly heated, the ovenwill give off enough heat to maintain the foods at a proper temperaturefor a period of two and one half hours. Food in suitable pans may bestored in the oven receptacle 4! and these pans may be removed andplaced in the receptacles it as the serving proceeds.

The end portion of the cart at which the oven 40 is placed constitutesthe head end of said cart and the lines of customers approach the cartfrom this end.

Sliding cover plates ll, preferably of sheet metal, are provided for thetwo receptacles 16. These cover plates 47 are slidably held by meanssuch as plates 48, and are adapted to be withdrawn sidewise into thepositions shown by full lines in Fig. 3 and by dot and dash lines inFig. 6, to uncover the receptacles 46. Stacks of food serving trays 50are usually placed on the plates 48 when the cart is being made readyfor use and after the cart has been moved to the location where the foodis to be served the cover plates 4! are pulled out and the stacks oftrays are moved over onto these cover plates leaving the tops of thereceptacles 46 open for the serving of food therefrom. The trays 51] arekept warm while supported above the receptacles 46 and will remain warmfor a substantial period of time after being placed on the extendedcover plates 41.

Preferably a carving plate 5! is provided on the end of the cartadjacent the receptacles 45 and flush with the deck 2!. Also a guardrail 52 is preferably provided around the lower portion of the cart.

In the use of this cafeteria cart the food is prepared for serving andis loaded onto the cart in a kitchen where it is prepared. The cart isthen wheeled to the location where the food is to be served, the smalltable 3'! that normally supports the coffee urns 36 is placed far enoughfrom the cashiers shelf 38 to afford room for the cashier to work, thecoffee urns 35 are lifted off of the lower shelf of the cart and placedon the table 31, the curtains I1, if they have been in a loweredposition, are raised and the food in the receptacles 46 is uncovered.

One attendant stands at the end of the cart near the oven 4! to dish upfood from the pans in the receptacles 46 and another attendant stands atthe other end of the cart adjacent the cashiers shelf 38 to receivepayment for the food and to see that persons who wish a hot drink, ascoffee, obtain cups.

The customers or persons desiring to obtain food from the cart form intwo lines and move along the two opposite sides of the cart from left toright, as respects the showing in Figs. 1 and 3. As they pass the firstattendant each customer may obtain a tray and a serving of hot food ifhe desires. He may then help himself to such food and drink as he wishesout of the trays 3G, 3!, 33, 35 and boxes 25. If he wishes a hot drink,such as coffee he will obtain a cup and cream and sugar from the cashierat the time he pays for his food and, as he leaves the cart will drawhis own hot drink. This method of serving the hot drinks has been foundto speed up the serving of foods from the cart and has made it possibleto operate the cart efficiently and at maximum speed, as respects theserving of food, by the use of two attendants at the cart.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawing clearly disclose apreferred embodiment of this invention but it will be understood thatthis disclosure is merely illustrative and that changes in the inventionmay be made within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a cafeteria cart, portable frame means; a food storage compartmentcarried by said frame means; depressed receptacles for food pansextending into the top portion of said food storage compartment;slidable covers for said receptacles; and guide means supporting saidcovers for movement into open and closed position relative to saidreceptacles, said uide means forming food tray supports above saidreceptacles and said covers forming food tray su ports at the sides ofsaid receptacles when said covers-are in open position.

2. In a cafeteria cart, a lower platform; wheels supporting said lowerplatform; rigid side frame members extending upwardly from said lowerplatform at points inwardly from the ends thereof so that the endportions of said lower platform extend beyond said side frame members; atable platform substantially the same size and shape as said lowerplatform supported by said side frame members in spaced relation abovesaid lower platform and in alignment with and parallel to said lowerplatform; a warming oven disposed between the portions of said lowerplatform and said table platform that project beyond said side framemembers; an intermediate platform of shorter length than said lowerplatform and said table platform supported therebetween, the edgeportions of said intermediate platform being inclined relative to thehorizontal to impart an outward tilt to open topped receptaclessupported thereon; an upper platform of shorter length than said tableplatform supported by said side frame members in spaced relation abovesaid table platform; and two rows of open topped outwardly inclined fooddisplay trays extending longitudinally of said upper platform.

JAMES R. BOLDT. DAVID H. BOLDT.

